OESC accepting applications for disaster unemployment assistance; 5 new counties added

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission announced on Friday benefits are now available for those who lost their jobs, job offers, or businesses due to severe weather in several Oklahoma counties.

OESC officials say, as a result of recent severe storms and tornadoes, applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), which is an unemployment insurance benefit made available for victims of a disaster is now available. DUA is available to individuals affected by the recent severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, and tornadoes in Carter, Hughes, Kay, Lincoln, Love, Murray, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Washington, and Washita Counties.

On April 30, 2024, President Joseph Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Oklahoma as it recovers from Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding occurring April 25, 2024 to May 9, 2024. This declaration allows OESC to provide temporary financial assistance to people whose employment or self-employment was impacted by the disaster.

DUA Eligibility

To be considered eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, individuals must meet at least one of the criteria outlined below:

• Individuals eligible for DUA will be considered unemployed as a direct result of the major disaster if the unemployment resulted from:

• The physical damage or destruction of the place of employment;

• The physical inaccessibility of the place of employment due to its closure by the federal,
• state, or local government in immediate response to the disaster; or

• Lack of work, or loss of revenues, if, prior to the disaster, the employer or self-employed
• business received at least a majority of its revenue or income from an entity in the major disaster area that was damaged or destroyed in the disaster or an entity in the major disaster area closed by the federal, state, or local government.

In addition to those who lost their jobs directly due to the disaster, individuals eligible for DUA may also include:

• Individuals who are unable to reach their job or self-employment location because they
• must travel through the affected area and are prevented from doing so by the disaster;

• Individuals who were to commence employment or self-employment but were prevented by
• the disaster;

• Individuals who became the breadwinner or major support for a household because of the
• death of the head of household due to the disaster;

• Individuals who cannot work or perform services in self-employment because of an injury
• caused as a direct result of the disaster.

• Self-employed individuals may be eligible for benefits if they lost all or part of their livelihood and means of work. Self-employed workers must provide their federal income tax forms.

How to File for DUA

• All individuals must file an unemployment insurance claim at oklahoma.gov/oesc/individuals. For more information or questions, individuals can call the Unemployment Service Center at 405-525-1500 or visit one of OESC’s field offices. A list and map of all field offices can be found at oklahoma.gov/oesc/locations. Additionally, impacted individuals may visit OESC’s website or any field office for reemployment services.

The deadline to submit a claim for DUA is July 1, 2024. Applications submitted after that date will be considered untimely unless the individual provides good cause for filing after the deadline. Within seven days of submitting a claim for unemployment, individuals must register for an account on and complete/upload their resume to https://okjobmatch.com/.

How to Receive DUA

To receive DUA, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the date the DUA application is filed. Required documentation includes the individual’s social security number, proof of earnings (such as a copy of the most recent income tax form), a current check stub, and proof of employment (such as documentation to support that you were working or were self-employed). For the most efficient processing, documentation can be emailed to dua@oesc.ok.gov. Alternatively, documentation be faxed to 405-962-7524, with a cover letter addressed to “DUA”, or mailed to:

ATTN: DUA Desk

OESC
P.O. Box 52006
Oklahoma City, OK, 73152-2006

Additional Information

DUA is made available under Presidential Disaster Declaration #4776.